Chef Choi Jung-yoon, head of Nanro Foundation, gives an opening speech during the Nanro Insight symposium, a two-day event titled "The Future of Gastronomy: Hansik," at Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Monday. / Courtesy of Nanro Foundation

Nanro Foundation, a nonprofit organization, opened Nanro Insight, a two-day global symposium on Korean food, Monday. Over 200 people from various industries, including Korean chefs and restaurant owners, as well as food, traditional liquor, finance, IT, branding, media, art and music professionals, gathered for the event, titled "The Future of Gastronomy: Hansik," to discuss the ways to put "hansik," or Korean food, on the global map.

Chef Choi Jung-yoon, head of the foundation, said that unlike Korean movies, cosmetics and fashion, Korean food has been relatively less known and that made her start this community dedicated to studying Korean culinary culture. "People around me say they feel Korea possesses such significant soft power now. It seems like everything, from cosmetics to movies, is getting better, but only food remains," she said during an opening speech at Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Monday.

"It seems to me that the current Korean wave will continue to thrive for at least five years without any intervention from us. But thinking of 50 or 100 years from today, I feel like now is a really important time to make the most of the current popularity and establish Korean cuisine as a pillar of global culture and lifestyle."

Choi said, through over 40 sessions of discussion with some 300 cross-industry experts since 2022, she realized that the concepts of "value up" and "scale up" are the two most important things to be done for that cause. "We ourselves don't seem to know the value of Korean cuisine. After studying and recognizing its value, this should be followed by the scaling-up efforts for hansik. The discussion involves experts from various fields, including finance and distribution, brainstorming how to transform Korean cuisine from individual dishes and restaurants into a global business phenomenon accessible to a diverse range of people."

She highlighted that cross-industry connections hold the key to unlocking the full potential of Korean cuisine. "We believe that the key to the future of Korean cuisine lies in the confluence of tradition and modernity, the fusion of Korean and global sensibilities and the seamless integration of Korean cuisine with various industries."

Jeong Jae-seung, a professor studying decision neuroscience in the Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department at KAIST, gives a keynote speech on how science can help boost Korean food's global popularity during the Nanro Insight event at Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Monday. Courtesy of Nanro Foundation

Jeong Jae-seung, a professor studying decision neuroscience in the Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department at KAIST, gave a keynote speech about how science can help boost the global popularity of Korean food, introducing a research paper that delved into the science of how various ingredients interact to enhance flavor and appeal to human preferences. "This research demonstrates the potential for scientific approaches to culinary exploration. Data and graphs show how the brain perceives the best taste when a steak is paired with sauces made of different ingredients. Using this study, we can find the best steak-sauce combination to enhance flavor profiles. But Korean cuisine remains largely unexplored in this regard," he said.

Jeong added that the focus of modern health research has shifted from mere life extension to promoting longevity through maintaining a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, and this provides an opportunity for hansik to play a crucial role. "Korean cuisine — with its emphasis on fermentation, rice and a balance of meat and vegetables — stands out as an exemplary model for promoting longevity," he said.

Inspired by the "Nanrohoe," which originates from gatherings of scholars in the late period of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom who would gather around a brazier at night to enjoy food and engage in discussions, the namesake community has grown into a leading domestic Korean food industry player with over 40 gatherings and participation of 300 experts to date.